Bring Me Back
by Li'l Sarah
Summary: Two new chapters! Michael isn't holding up too well after the break up. On the other hand, neither is Maria...
1. Two Hours

Michael looked at the alarm clock and groaned. Another day. Thank God he had gotten out of the double shift. Having that much time with nothing to do but think…He shook his head. At least when he was asleep it didn't hurt so much. Whether his dreams were good or bad, he never could remember them clearly in the morning. No matter how awful they had been, they went away. When he was awake, it was worse. He was constantly torn between love and hate. He hated her, he knew that much. He was willing to give up his dreams for her, because he realized she was his everything and nothing else mattered. And in a twist of fate, she gave him up…no. She gave Ithem/I up for her dreams. But there was something else, something that wouldn't allow him to write her off, to hate her and get it over with. He knew it only hurt because he loved her so much. And so some days he spent raging, blaming her for everything that went wrong , and others were the longest days imaginable because he couldn't wait to see her. Maybe she'd throw herself into his arms, and tell him how much she missed him. That one maybe took over his thoughts and destroyed all hopes of concentration some days. Time wasn't judged by his work and his schedule any more. Now that he had that void inside him, his perspective was changing. Two hours until his shift at the Crashdown began now meant two hours until he would see her, even if he only caught a glimpse as she left after her shift. Mr. Parker had changed their schedules, seeming to notice how much she affected Michael. A second of eye contact, and he was dumbstruck. The brush of blond hair against his arm, and he was useless for the better part of an hour, and a sentence directed at him and he melted. Mr. Parker figured this out, and so Michael was tortured with only a glimpse to get him through the day. So there were two more long, excruciating hours until he felt whole again, until he felt alive. Because whenever she was near him, her presence washed over him and his 'maybe' seemed a whole lot closer.

Two hours? He'd never make it. Michael reset the alarm clock and went back to sleep, to dream of Maria.


	2. On the Other Side

'Excuse me, miss. Miss! More Saturn Rings over here!' Maria's head shot up in surprise. She'd been thinking about him again. Of course, she thought about him a lot anyway, ever since…well, today it was wrose. She was thinking about him constantly, and now she had a room full of people sniggering at her because she seemed to have spaced out for five minutes. This had to stop. Even if she refused to admit it, she knew it was true.

She missed him. Sometimes it hurt so much that she was willing to forget chance of ever singing again to have his arms wrapped around her, to tell him how much she missed him, and have things just the way they used to be. She missed being able to turn to him whenever something was going wrong. She missed being able to call him for no good reason, being able to hang out at his apartment, and she missed having somebody who knew her so perfectly.

Sure, she had Liz, but it was different. Liz still had her soulmate, and it was hard not to see two people so happy and perfect for each other and know you could've been the same. And even though Lizzie had been there for her through everything ever since she was three. When Pam Troy put gum in Maria's hair in third grade and Maria had to get almost all of her hair cut off, Liz had seen her crying and told her mother to give her the exact same haircut. Whenever Maria had a cold and couldn't go out and play with her friends, Liz stayed with her instead of having fun with the others. She had countless memories like that, but Maria knew that Liz couldn't be expected to stop going out with Max because Maria had gone and cut away half her life.

But what hurt Maria was that she knew deep inside her heart that Michael would've given up anything to see her happy, and that was why hanging out with Liz wasn't the same. Liz had her own life, but with Michael…Maria [I]was[/I] his life, and he was hers, and she knew it. That knowledge made her feel sick to her stomach, and it made her hate herself as much as she knew Michael hated her. She had seen all the changes in him. She knew him, she loved him more than anyone, how could she not? 

Mr. Parker had changed their shifts so that they never worked together, and Maria was sure it had been at Michael's request. He just couldn't stand to be around her anymore. Even before the change, if her hand had so much as brushed against his when she handed her an order, he would flinch and this look would cross his face like he was trying to control his anger. And his eyes…he'd look straight at her like he could see into her soul for a split second, and sometimes she felt like he really was. Like he could see how much she missed him, how much she regretted her choice. But then, instead of taking her into his arms, he turned away and kept flipping burgers as if nothing had happened. Because to him, nothing had. Maria was just overthinking things, as usual.

The funny thing was, for the first week or two after they broke up, she got flashes from him when they touched. She knew they weren't deliberate, Michael didn't even seem to realize what was happening. And a few times, she would get a flash from just a moment of eye contact. From across the room, she could see into him just as well as she could the night before he was supposed to leave. She remembered that first flash perfectly, as well as the feeling it had given her. Reliving it gave her strength and told her that Michael would always be waiting for her when she came back.

If it was even possible, the flashes after the breakup had been even more beautiful and meaningful than that first one. She couldn't take it anymore by the time they were working at Santa's cottage, and she let herself slip. She kissed him, tried to get back what they had before but knew it wouldn't work. After she told Michael that they still had to be apart…the stone wall went all the way back up for the first time and she hadn't gotten a flash since. He hated her now. The question was, could she blame him? Some things you had to accept and move on, but she knew she never could.

'MISS! I'd like those Saturn Rings [I]now[/I], if you could just go get them!' Maria sighed. She could obsess over this later, she had a job to keep now.


	3. Dare You To Move

Maria looked at the clock and breathed a sigh of relief. It was seven forty-five, and her shift was over in fifteen minutes. She could leave, go home, and sleep for another few hours like she was supposed to be able to do on a Saturday. Then the realization that Michael's shift started in fifteen minutes hit her. She couldn't take seeing him today, she just couldn't. She had depressed herself far too much about the situation she was in, the trouble that she had gotten herself so far into that she wouldn't be able to get out of. She had been stupid to assume Michael would always wait for her. For heaven's sake, he had loved her, but she broke up with him for her music, and three months later she hadn't even made a step down the path of pursuing it. It was ridiculous to think he was willing to wait until she thought she could be with him again. What had she been thinking?  
  
The truth was, she was scared. She couldn't go back to Michael because then she would feel like she sold herself out, like she didn't even try. But she didn't try because she was afraid of where it would take her. She didn't know what she was looking for, but was terrified that when she found it, she'd be too far away from Michael to ever turn back. So she stayed where she was, and now she was miserable. It was already too late to turn back, so she might as well do what Michael had obviously done and move on. She made a promise to herself right then and there that she was going to stop obsessing over the Michael situation and get her singing career moving.  
  
She looked up at the clock again and swore. She now had ten minutes until Michael came in, and she knew for sure she couldn't even look at him without breaking down and crying because he didn't need her anymore. She grabbed the empty plates from the booth she was standing by and continued busing tables.  
  
She dumped all the plates on one table and went to get what was on the counter. Gathering the four plates, she turned around to add them to the pile. She bumped into somebody, and all the plates fell to the floor.  
  
Maria gasped. 'I'm so sorry! I've just been a little off all morning, I haven't been able to concentrate and I've had a really busy week…' Maria looked up and stopped mid-sentence. Of all the people in the world, she had chosen to bump into Michael. This day was going great.  
  
Maria bent down to pick up the plates, which surprisingly enough weren't broken. The food that had been left on them, however, was strewn all over the floor. She kept her head down, not wanting Michael to see the emotions she knew were written all over her face. The last thing she wanted was for him to see her, to see that she wanted him back and to pity her. He might not love her, but at least he could respect her.  
  
'Maria, get up. Your shift is over, let me get it,' said Michael. She looked like she could use the rest, even if he couldn't see her face. Maria didn't answer him, so he sighed and kneeled down beside her. 'Ria, let me take care of it.'  
  
Maria doggedly continued to clean up the mess, and Michael silently helped. They both reached for the last plate, and their hands brushed. Suddenly, Maria could see Michael again. She was connected to him just from the brief, gentle contact, and what she saw made her gasp. This time, there were no glimpses of his childhood, the hell he had had to endure because of Hank. She didn't see the skies of Antar, or the faces of Max and Isabel. All she saw was her.  
  
The crash festival, where she had put her life in the hands of Michael and Isabel, two complete strangers from another world.  
  
The cheap motel they had stayed at on the way to Texas, where she had realized that Michael wasn't really the person he wanted everyone to think he was.  
  
Michael telling her about the flashes she had given him, and forgiving her for lying to him.  
  
Michael leaving Maria in the UFO Center after telling her he loved her, and his guilt at the pained expression on her face.  
  
The images continued, faster and faster, and Maria realized that the feelings he had for her were the same. He missed her as much as she missed him. The hidden desire she had to throw herself into his arms was his secret hope. He still watched her when she wasn't looking, making sure she was okay even if she seemed to want nothing to do with him. She couldn't believe it.  
  
Michael Guerin loved her as much as ever, even more if it was possible.


	4. Friendship and Loss

"Michael..." stammered Maria, "I thought...I mean, you, you were..." No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't get out how she felt after finding that he didn't hate her.  
  
Michael looked at her, the sadness evident in his eyes. What was the matter with him? As far as she could see, everything was perfect again.  
  
"Sorry, Maria." He sounded perfectly controlled, as if he didn't give a damn about what had just happened. "Don't worry, I won't try to kiss you." His control slipped then, exposing a hint of bitterness. He stood and strode into the backroom, leaving a perplexed Maria sitting on the floor in the middle of the busy Crashdown. What the hell was going on? He loved her, she had felt it.  
  
She stood slowly and backed out of the building, staring at the door he had left through. Once she was outside, she turned and ran away, tears streaming down her face.  


*******

  
Liz Parker walked into the UFO Center and headed for Brody, who was manning the information booth.  
  
"Liz, hey!" Brody smiled at her. "Somehow I don't think you're here to learn more about conspiracies and cover-ups. Max is in the storeroom. Try not to take too long, I'm paying him to do actual work."  
  
Liz laughed. "Don't worry, Brody. I just have to cancel our date. Something came up." She left and made her way through the clutter of the storeroom, looking for Max.  
  
"Hey you," she said when she finally found him. "I have some bad news for you. I have to cancel our date."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Maria needs me. I'm not quite sure what's wrong, but she called me and asked me to come over. She sounded really upset."  
  
"I wonder if it has anything to do with Michael," replied Max, worried. "He had an extra shift at the plant this afternoon. He came over here after he finished at the Crashdown to borrow the Chevelle, and let's just say he wasn't a happy hybrid."  
  
Liz sighed in exasperation. "Oh, no...They really were close to caving in. Why do they both need to be so stubborn? They really are perfect for each other, when you think about it. Couldn't be better matched!" And with that, she left to console her friend.  
  
Max shook his head and went back to work. They really were a perfect match, in more ways than that one. He knew, however, that no matter how hard he and Liz tried to work things out for the couple, in the end, they wouldn't.  
  
Only Michael and Maria could bring themselves together. 


	5. Return of the Red Sneakers

Liz approached the DeLuca house apprehensively. She was wondering what exactly had happened, but was also certain it had something to do with Michael.   
  
She opened the door and stepped in with a gasp when she saw the mess. The house looked like it had been ransacked, and Maria was nowhere in sight. Fearing the worst, Liz calle dout for her friend. "Maria? Maria! Where are you, this isn't funny!" There was no answer, and Liz headed for Maria's room. Passing Amy's on the way, she stopped and looked inside. This room was in worse condition than the rest, and Maria sat in the middle. She was looking at something and silently crying. "Ria? What's the matter? Are you okay?" As she got closer, she could see what Maria was holding.   
  
A pair of red sneakers.   
  
*~*~*~*   
  
Maria never heard Liz come in, but all of a sudden she was there, holding Maria and trying to comfort her.   
  
"Maria, what's the matter? What happened?"   
  
"He still loves me." Maria was in shock. Even though she had been repeating it to herself for the past hour, she still couldn't quite believe it. Finding out had been a dream come true, but after seeing Michael walk away, angry at her, she couldn't help but wonder if a dream was all it was.   
  
"What?! Not to be rude, Maria, but why are you so sad if Michael does still love you?" Maria sighed and told Liz what had happened.   
  
"...it was just so intense, and his feelings for me ran so much deeper than they ever had. It was like I was a part of him, and not just because of the connection. I think I've always been a part of him, just like he's a part of me. I'm nothing without him." Slowly, Maria realized how wrong she had been in leaving him. She had wanted to find herself, but when she was back where she started, she realized she had reached her goal long before.   
  
"And I tried to say something, but the words wouldn't come out...then he said he wouldn't try to kiss me. He turned around and he walked out, he just left me on the floor surrounded by salad. Why? He seemed so anrgy, I can't understand it..."   
  
They sat in silence for a while, and finally Liz spoke up. "Maria, if he's loved you all along, but you still didn't get any flashes, he must have been blocking you. Just like before, when you first gave him the flashes but you didn't get any..." Liz trailed off, staring at the sneakers and finally realizing their significance. No wonder Maria had torn up the house looking for them.   
  
Maria laughed bitterly. "So what's your point? Obviously he brought down the wall and let me see him today."   
  
"How did you feel when you saw him this morning?"   
  
"I think I covered this. I don't want to relive it again, me gaping like an idiot while he disappears into the back room."   
  
"No, before that. When you bumped into him and dropped the plates, how were you feeling?"   
  
"I was pissed because I didn't want to have to deal with him this morning."   
  
"Exactly!" Liz looked triumphant. "That's it. You caught Michael at a weak moment, but you had your walls up. Michael loves you, but he doesn't know that you know. He's probably completely unaware he gave you a flash."   
  
Maria sat there, shocked, as she realized how everything must have looked to Michael. The way she looked at him, the shocked expression on her face, he must have thought she was going to reject him again.   
  
"I need to go, I need to fix this right now. I have to!"   
  
"Max said he was working an extra shift at the plant today, he's there now. Let's go." The two girls ran out of the house towards the Jetta, the red sneakers still clutched in Maria's hand. 


	6. Back In Time

"Don't worry, I won't try to kiss you."   
  
The words were out of his mouth before he hand a chance to think about them. Michael mentally slapped himself for it. Now she knew for sure how pathetic he was, still stuck on her after three months. He stood and turned quickly, before she could see the color rise to his cheeks out of anger and humiliation. Taking long strides towards the back room, half of him was hoping that she'd leave him alone and not follow. His stupid half, on the other hand, was hoping that she would come after him.   
  
She didn't.   
  
*********   
  
Friend. Possibly the worst word on any world, thought Michael as he angrily prepared a salad. He had been so proud of it before, knowing he wasn't just Maria's boyfriend but her friend as well. He loved knowing that he mattered to her and she needed him. Being needed was something he would always associate with Maria, because nobody had needed him before her. Not even Max and Isabel.   
  
Now, Maria told him he was her friend, but it was a lie and both of them knew it. They were too scared to break all ties, so they had to avoid each other and the awkward silences, which were harsh reminders that 'friend' was only a title. Even so, Michael was glad. Better this strained, false, almost nonexistant connection to Maria than none at all.   
  
*********   
  
Amy De Luca walked into the Crashdown and sat at the counter, across from a very stressed out Liz.   
  
'Hey, Ms. De Luca! What can I get for you today?'   
  
'Oh, I'm just stopping by to get a drink. Jim's meeting me here and we're going to Colorado for the weekend. So tell me, what has you looking so worn out?'   
  
Liz laughed weakly. 'Let's just say Michael's not in a good mood. I just need to last the two and a half hours until his shift is done, and I'll be fine. There's no talking to him when he's like this.'   
  
Amy thought about that. She had been meaning to have a little chat with Michael for a while now, since she had no idea what was going on between him and her daughter. There was no talking to him? 'Well, we'll just see about that. Liz, Jim's supposed to meet me here, tell him I'll be back in a few minutes.' Amy had disappeared into the back room before Liz could say anything to stop her.   
  
'Better you than me,' she called after the woman. She meant it. If anyone could handle Michael in this kind of mood, it was a De Luca.   
  
Michael turned to put the finished burger on a plate, and found himself face to face with a pissed off Amy. 'Jesus!'   
  
'No, it's Amy. Ms. De Luca to you, Michael. I have some things I want to talk to you about.' Michael nodded, too shocked for his brain to figure out exactly what things she had in mind.   
  
'What's going on between you and my daughter? For months Maria talked about nothing but you and how much you two loved each other. Like you two reached this perfect point in your relationship.' Here she paused and looked suspiciously at Michael. He swallowed nervously, remembering exactly how 'perfect' that summer had been. Had Amy found out and come to kill him for sleeping with her daughter? Michael took a step backward, trying to find the quickest exit and put himself between Amy and any sharp objects, all while trying not to look too guilty. To his relief, Amy picked up her speech. 'Then, in October, Maria started worrying about the strain two jobs was putting on you. Everything stopped all of a sudden, and she hasn't mentioned you since. Something has changed my baby girl, Michael. She's unhappy, and I swear to God if you hurt her, if you broke her heart again, I can't be held responsible for my actions.'   
  
Michael sighed. 'Look, Ms. De Luca, I didn't do anything, okay? I'm not the one who fell out of love. Why don't you take this up with Maria?' Silently, he turned back to the grill, and Amy knew she wouldn't get another answer out of him. Feeling guilty for the accusations, Amy turned to go, but stopped at the door.   
  
'Michael, I know we've never been on very good terms with each other, so I'm not really sure how to say this...You're a bigger idiot than I thought if you seriously believe that maria could ever stop loving you.' When Michael turned to answer her, she was gone.   
  
He tried not to think too much about what she said. He tried to think about Isabel's problems with Jesse, or the fact that his couch-crashing friend's lack of income was the reason he had to work two jobs. Still, his mind kept drifting back to Amy's belief that Maria still loved him. When she told him, it almost sounded like she was asking Michael to take the initiative. He couldn't do it though, no matter how much he wanted to. If Maria gave up singing, she might regret it years frm now, and he didn't want to be the one who stood in her way. Maria had to come back on her own.   
  
*********   
  
Two hours later, Michael walked out of the Crashdown. He barely noticed Liz sighing in relief as he exited the building 


	7. Michael, the Guys, and Relationship Coun...

Steve, Monk, and Fly looked at each other worriedly as Michael stormed into the security center. He was in a bad mood, which meant no goofing off or anything resembling fun today. Steve might have been their supervisor, but Michael was the boss. When pissed off, Guerin was a force to be reckoned with.   
  
The three friends started busying themselves, having accepted that this shift wasn't going to be one of the best. George, unfortunately, never got the message. He strode in ten minutes after Michael, oblivious of the frantic attempts the guys were making to show him Michael's mood.   
  
'How you doing, chico?' He hit Michael's shoulder lightly before sitting down next to him.   
  
'You're late.'   
  
'Sorry chico, my wife's friend Maria just got here and I had to pick her up at the airport---' Monk, observing from a safe distance, winced as he saw Michael stiffen. George was in for it now, Michael seldom had problems that weren't Maria-related. If Monk hadn't met the girl, he would've thought Michael was a fool, unable to pick up and move on. But after only three meetings, Monk knew that Maria De Luca wasn't someone you forgot in a hurry.   
  
George seemed to have realized his mistake by now. 'Hey, Mike...I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring it up.'   
  
Michael laughed weakly. 'Don't worry about it. You shouldn't have to avoid the name just because I had my heart broken by one Maria.'   
  
George, who must not have been thinking straight that day, pressed the subject further. 'What's going on with you guys? You both seemed so...happy. Like it was perfect. What went wrong?'   
  
Monk blinked in surprise. Now this was uncharted territory. Did George have a death wish? He had to, he was aggravating an angry Michael.   
  
But apparently Michael felt like talking. 'I have no idea. You're right, it was perfect. Then her friend Billy comes to town,' he said, clenching his fists, 'and she breaks up with me. We didn't fight, and she didn't leave me for him, but since then, we've been "just friends." You know, she left me so she could pursue her music, and she hasn't done a damn think with it, nothing at all! I can't stand being around her, whenever I see her I just want to grab her and kiss her until she comes to her senses and comes back to me. But I can't do that, because then I'd be standing in the way of her dreams. It's so damn hard!'   
  
Everyone was silent for a while, their attention turned back to their work. Finally, George spoke up. 'You're doing the right thing. Be strong, and let her some back to you. It sucks, but you have to do it.' The others nodded their agreement.   
  
'I know that, but it's driving me crazy. I don't know how much longer I can stand this, I only have so much control where Maria's concerned.' This caused the guys to shift uncomfortably, they had experienced firsthand exactly how much control Michael and Maria had around each other.   
  
Finally, Steve spoke up. 'Take a break. Do whatever you need to, take a week off and we'll cover for you. I'm in charge now that Karl's gone, it's not like you'll get in trouble. And the guy at the Crashdown, I'm sure he'll understand. Just get out of Roswell for a few days, see if it takes your mind off of things.'   
  
Michael grinned. 'That's the smartest thing I've heard all day. Are you guys sure you don't mind? This is just what I need to get over the situation. I'll call Max and tell him, I can leave right after my shift.'   
  
George, Monk, and Steve all seemed to think it was a great idea, but Monk wasn't so sure. Michael couldn't want to get over it. He wanted Maria back, not out of his life. What the hell was he trying to pull? He'd have to talk to Michael before he left...   
  
*********   
  
'Hey, Monk, I'm planning on hitching a ride with somebody. Max'll kill me if I take his baby along for the ride. You're a car freak, will you get the Chevelle home safely?'   
  
'Sure thing, Michael. Are you leaving now? I want to ask you something.' Monk walked out into the hallway, and Michael followed. 'What exactly are you planning on doing? I'm not believing that you want to get over the situation.'   
  
Michael smiled. 'I'm starting over, Monk. The whole thing, I want to relive the memories, just in case we don't make any more.' And with that, Michael left.   
  
Okay, that made sense. Michael had told him about a bunch of road trips he and Maria had taken...he was going to retrace their path. Kind of sad though, he was doing it because he didn't think he'd ever get to do it with Maria.   
  
*********   
  
Monk was driving the Chevelle out of the parking lot, when a red Jetta pulled up beside him. He stopped, and the next thing he knew, Maria De Luca was outside the window, waving a pair of red sneakers in his face and talking a mile a minute. She got a good look at him when she stopped to take a breath, though, and she stepped back in surprise.   
  
'Monk?! What are you doing in the Chevelle? And where the hell is Michael?' 


	8. Intimidation, Determination, Celebration

Maria looked at Monk suspiciously. "Where's Michael?" she asked, her voice making it clear that she wasn't somebody to be messed with.   
  
"W-well," stuttered Monk, receiving the full impact of a glare that even Michael was spared from, "I'm not sure. He said something about starting over, but..."   
  
Starting over? Well, thought Liz, I don't think it's possible for that to be any more confusing.   
  
Maria, however, seemed to have found some meaning in it, and was headed straight for the Jetta. "Liz, are you coming with me, or do you want Monk to drive you back to Max's?"   
  
Liz paused. If she went with Maria, she would be there when Michael and Maria met again. There would either be a fight, which she didn't want to see, or there would be a reunion. Knowing Michael and Maria, the reunion probably wasn't something she would want to see either. "I'll go with Monk."   
  
"Fine with me." Maria got into the Jetta and sped off, leaving Liz and Monk alone.   
  
"Is she always that scary?" Monk was looking extremely relieved now that Maria was gone.   
  
"No," laughed Liz, "You just caught her on a bad day."   
  
******   
  
Maria pulled up to the Sultan's Hideaway Motel and looked around. It was dark, but she would have recognized the figure by the vending machines anywhere. "Michael!"   
  
Michael turned around, shocked. Maria was the last person he was expecting to see. "Maria? What are you doing here?"   
  
"What do you think? I'm tired of all this running away, Michael."   
  
"I still don't know why you're here."   
  
Maria looked up at him and smiled. "Do you want to hear the long and boring version, and the short and sweet version?"   
  
Michael thought about that for a minute. Knowing Maria, if he asked for the long version they'd be there all night. "Short version," he answered, still wondering what could have brought her here.   
  
"Suit yourself," she replied. The next thing Michael knew, her lips were on his. He put his arms around her and held her close, losing himself in the sheer bliss of having Maria in his arms again. When they eventually broke apart for air, she hugged him and rested her head on his chest. "That's why I'm here," she told him.   
  
"Fair enough, Blondie. But what brought that around?"   
  
Maria paused for a moment. "You." Seeing Michael's puzzled expression, she continued, telling him everything that had happened that day.   
  
"...so that's when I decided that I couldn't go on with the just friends idea anymore, and I had to be back with you, where I belong. Michael, I'm sorry for---"   
  
"Don't, Maria. You don't have to apologize for any of it. I love you, and that's all that matters."   
  
She looked up at him, her eyes shining. "Really?" It was barely a whisper, but he heard her and nodded. "I love you too, Michael. I'm just sorry it took so long for something to bring me back."   
  
"So," said Michael, grinning. "Did you get a flash this time?"   
  
Maria smiled mischievously. "Not this time. We should try again, and make sure we get this kiss right."   
  
It was several minutes later when Maria broke away, smiling. "That was beautiful, Michael. What did I ever do to deserve you?"   
  
"I seem to remember a number of occasions that you helped me through problems, enough to deserve anything. My life is perfect because you're in it, Maria, and I'll do my best to make all your dreams come true."   
  
"You're all I'll ever need, Spaceboy. And now that we're officially together again, I was thinking we could celebrate."   
  
Michael smiled at that idea. "Just follow me. I think you'll find the room familiar, only this time the others won't be barging in."   
  
"I hope not," laughed Maria, "They know us better by now, don't they Mister Guerin?"   
  
"They should, Miss De Luca." He unlocked the door and held it open. "After you, Blondie." They stepped inside, and soon they forgot everything but each other. 


	9. Author's Note

Hey! Sorry about the long time without updates, I sort of forgot to update at ff.net. I was about four chapters behind here, but I haven't really updated anywhere else in a month or three. So now you're caught up with the rest of the fandom, and this is the end. I might post an epilogue later, but I'm not sure. It would take place around their graduation, but it wouldn't be like the actual episode. I think a lot of things would have turned out differently on the show if M&M stayed together, so that's what I'm considering writing.  
  
Thanks so much for reading and putting up with the complete lack of updates.  
  
^Sarah^ 


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